General procedure for the synthesis of 2-phenyl-7-bromoquinoline from (2-amino-4-bromophenyl)methanol and acetophenone: acetophenone (144 mg, 1.2 mmol), [Cp*Ir(6,6'-(OH)2bpy)(H2O)][OTf]2 (8.3 mg, 0.01 mmol, 1 mol%), potassium hydroxide (56 mg, 1.0 mmol, 1.0 equiv), 2-amino-4-bromobenzyl alcohol (201 mg, 1.0 mmol), and water (1 mL) were added sequentially to a 5 mL round bottom flask. The reaction mixture was refluxed in air for 12 h and then cooled to room temperature. The reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate, the organic solvent was removed by rotary evaporation, and then purified by column chromatography (unfolding agent: petroleum ether/ethyl acetate) to afford pure 2-phenyl-7-bromoquinoline in 94% yield.
